Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Blast from the past

Jaya Bachchan during a Sports Day event; (inset) her note to Abhishek Bachchan’s school teacher.

That mothers, all mothers, not only the unknown and ordinary, but also the accomplished and famous, quake in trepidation before their childrens’ school teachers is widely known. So, could there be a mother who will not smile in empathetic recognition at this hastily scribbled note by a diligent young mother a few decades ago?

Written by yummy mummy Jaya Bachchan to Abhishek Bachchan’s school teacher at the Modern School, Delhi, to apologise for his turning up to class in the wrong shoes, it demonstrates not only the hundreds of unsung hours of slog and grunge that mothers go through to bring their children up well (even while running through hoops to keep up with the mystifying rules of pernickety schools), but also an endearing humility.

“Dear Mrs Suman, My son Abhishek Bachchan is not wearing his uniform shoes today. Hope you will excuse him. His shoe was washed and has not dried yet. Thank you,” wrote the National Award-winning actress, in February 1986, signing off simply with (Mrs) Jaya Bachchan (Abhishek’s mother).

“While studying in Modern School, Abhishek Bachchan did not wear the shoes he was supposed to on a particular day for which he was punished,” recalls the teacher, Mrs Suman, about the missive many years later. “So the next day, his mother sent in this note.”

In 1986, Abhishek would have been all of 10 years and a resident of Delhi for a couple of years where he had moved with his family following Amitabh Bachchan’s short-lived plunge into politics in PM Rajiv Gandhi’s government. Those must have been difficult years all round, coping with a new city, and of course, the Capital’s unrelenting political landscape, which he had famously described as a “cess pool”.

Against this larger narrative, what comes through most in this sweet anecdote is a mother’s unerring care and how when it boils down to mums and school teachers, all mothers – ordinary and unknown, and accomplished and famous – always toe their line.

NAHINNN!!!

“He’s now president for life. President for life. No, he’s great, and look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.”

- US President Donald Trump onChina President Xi Jinping consolidating power recently

TRUE LIES

The frothing of a filmy insider, not usually given to much aggro, caught our attention.

“She’s outdone even the diva herself,” he said about a senior actress, once among the top three of her generation, now on the comeback trail. “The top dollar she quotes and the outrageous demands for herself and her entourage are the talk of the industry. Doesn’t she realise she’s no more the star she once was?”

This hissy fit had been brought on by the legend in her lunch times’ latest act of high handedness. “She’s tried the patience of the head of the channel – a nice guy who was genuinely fond of her,” said the insider. “Until even he had to throw up his hands in despair!”

Oh dear.

BARAAT IN MONACO

Another week, another big fat OTT Indian destination wedding. This weekend saw the city’s movers and shakers fly off to Monaco for the grand wedding of Mahir Vachani (whose family is involved the UAE-based Al Maya Group) with Prianka Virani.

The nuptials put together by a resurgent Aditya Motwane and his wedding company saw guests like Yuvraj Singh and his bride, Hazel Keech, among others fly in to attend the baraat procession which was headed by a collector’s edition Lamborghini, followed by the groom on a white horse along with a cavalcade.

This striking procession, which was flagged off like a sports car race, we are informed, followed the same route as the Monaco Grand Prix and ended up outside the Casino square, next to the Hotel De Paris, where guests danced to bhangra music.

And with desi popstars like Juggy D and Jay Sean entertaining guests at venues like the Monaco Opera House and the reception being held at Monaco’s iconic Sporting Club (which has hosted Aerosmith, Lionel Ritchie and others in the past) and a social media presence as #MahirsGrandPri, it was a spectacle that gave even the glitzy-showy Monaco much to remember.